Evaluation of halite dissolution at a radioactive waste disposal site, Andrews County, Texas

Bulletin of the Geological Society of America

Volumn 122, Issue 11-12, 2010, Pages 1989-2004

  Holt, Robert M ^a   Powers, Dennis W ^a  

^a The University of Mississippi   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DISPOSAL SITES; DISSOLUTION PROCESS; DUCTILE MATERIALS; EFFECTIVE STRESS; EVAPORITES; FORMATION FLUIDS; GEOPHYSICAL LOGS; HYDRAULIC GRADIENTS; HYDROLOGIC MODELS; HYDROLOGIC SYSTEMS; LITHOFACIES; LONG TERM PERFORMANCE; PERMIAN; PORE FLUIDS; SALINITY FLUIDS; STRUCTURAL TRENDS; SURFACE FACILITIES; TEXAS , USA; UNDERLYING ROCKS; WASTE CONTROL SPECIALISTS;

BEARINGS (STRUCTURAL); FLUIDS; INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT; LEAKAGE (FLUID); MATHEMATICAL MODELS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOACTIVITY; SALINITY MEASUREMENT; SODIUM CHLORIDE; STRATIGRAPHY; WASTE DISPOSAL;

DISSOLUTION;

DISSOLUTION; EVAPORITE; HALITE; HYDROLOGY; LITHOFACIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE; STRATIGRAPHY; WASTE DISPOSAL; WASTE FACILITY;

ANDREWS COUNTY; TEXAS; UNITED STATES;

EID: 78049434693     PISSN: 00167606     EISSN: 00167606     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1130/B30052.1     Document Type: Article

References (55)

1. Adams, J.E., 1944, Upper Permian Ochoan Series of Delaware Basin, west Texas and southeastern New Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 28, p. 1596-1625.
2. Anderson, R.Y., and Kirkland, D.W., 1980, Dissolution of salt deposits by brine density flow: Geology, v. 8, p. 66-69, doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1980)8 <66:DOSDBB>2.0.CO;2.
3. Bachman, G.O., 1980, Regional geology and Cenozoic history of Pecos region, southeastern New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-1099, 116 p.
4. Bachman, G.O., 1981, Geology of Nash Draw, Eddy County, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-31, 10 p.
5. Baumgardner, R.W., Jr., Hoadley, A.D., and Goldstein, A.G., 1982, Formation of the Wink Sink, a salt dissolution and collapse feature, Winkler County, Texas: Austin, Texas, Report of Investigations No. 114, Bureau of Economic Geology, 38 p.
6. Beauheim, R.L., and Holt, R.M., 1990, Hydrogeology of the WIPP site, in Powers, D.W., Holt, R.M, Beauheim, R.L., and Rempe, N., eds., Geological and Hydrological Studies of Evaporites in the Northern Delaware Basin for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP): Geological Society of America Guidebook 14, p. 131-179.
7. Beauheim, R.L., and Roberts, R.M., 2002, Hydrology and hydraulic properties of a bedded evaporite formation: Amsterdam, Journal of Hydrology, v. 259, p. 66-88, doi: 10.1016/S0022-1694(01)00586-8.
8. Christiansen, E.A., 1971, Geology of the Crater Lake collapse structure in southeastern Saskatchewan: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 8, p. 1505-1513.
9. Dutton, A.R., 1995, Groundwater isotopic evidence for paleorecharge in U.S. High Plains aquifers: Quaternary Research, v. 43, p. 221-231, doi: 10.1006/qres.1995.1022.
10. Gustavson, T.C., 1986, Geomorphic development of the Canadian River Valley, Texas Panhandle: An example of regional salt dissolution and subsidence: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 97, p. 459-472.
11. Gustavson, T.C., Finley, R.J., and McGillis, K.A., 1980, Regional dissolution of Permian salt in the Anadarko, Dalhart, and Palo Duro Basins of the Texas Panhandle: Austin, Texas, Report of Investigation no. 106, Bureau of Economic Geology, 40 p.
12. Hawley, J., 1993, The Ogallala and Gatuña Formations in the southeastern New Mexico region, a progress report, in Love, D.W., et al., eds., Carlsbad Region, New Mexico and West Texas: New Mexico Geological Society Forty-fourth Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 261-269.
13. Hill, C.A., 1993, Barite/celestite/selenite/calcite mineralization at Bell Lake sink, Lea County, New Mexico, in Love, D.W., et al., eds., Carlsbad Region, New Mexico and West Texas: New Mexico Geological Society Forty-fourth Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 117-128.
14. Hill, C.A., 2003, Intrastratal karst at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, New Mexico, in Johnson, K.S., and Neal, J.T., eds., Evaporite Karst and Engineering/Environmental Problems in the United States: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 109, p.197-209.
15. Holt, R.M., 1997, Conceptual model for transport processes in the Culebra Dolomite Member, Rustler Formation: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories SAND-97-0194, 160 p.
16. Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 1984, Geotechnical activities in the waste handling shaft, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project, southeastern New Mexico: Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy WTSD-TME 038.
17. Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 1986, Geotechnical activities in the exhaust shaft, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy DOE/WIPP 86-008.
18. Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 1988, Facies variability and post-depositional alteration within the Rustler Formation in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, southeastern New Mexico: Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy DOE/WIPP 88-004.
19. Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 1990a, Geotechnical activities in the air intake shaft (AIS): Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy DOE/WIPP 90-051.
20. Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 1990b, Halite sequences within the Late Permian Salado Formation in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, in Powers, D.W., Holt, R.M., Beauheim, R.L., and Rempe, N., eds., Geological and Hydrological Studies of Evaporites in the Northern Delaware Basin for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP): Geological Society of America Guidebook 14, p. 45-78.
21. Holt, R.M., Powers, D.W., and Lowenstein, T.K., 2006, Halite depositional cycles in the Upper Permian Salado Formation, in Land, L., et al., eds., Caves and Karst of Southeastern New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Fifty-seventh Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 78-80.
22. Hovorka, S.D., 2000, Characterization of bedded salt for storage caverns-A case study from the Midland Basin, Texas: Austin, Texas, Bureau of Economic Geology Geological Circular 00-1, 80 p.
23. Hovorka, S.D., Holt, R.M., and Powers, D.W., 2007, Depth indicators in Permian Basin evaporites, in Schreiber, B.C., Lugli, S., and Babel, M., eds., Evaporites Through Space and Time: Geological Society of London, Special Publication 285, p. 301-330.
24. Johnson, K.S., 1993, Dissolution of Permian Salado salt during Salado time in the Wink area, Winkler County, Texas, in Love, D.W., et al., eds., Carlsbad Region, New Mexico and West Texas: New Mexico Geological Society Forty-fourth Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 211-218.
25. Jones, C.L., Bowles, C.G., and Bell, K.G., 1960, Experimental drill hole logging in potash deposits of the Carlsbad District, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 60-84, 22 p.
26. Jones, C.L., Cooley, M.E., and Bachman, G.O., 1973, Salt deposits of Los Medaños area, Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 4339-7, 67 p.
27. Kroenlein, G.A., 1939, Salt, potash, and anhydrite in Castile Formation of southeast New Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 23, p. 1682-1693.
28. Land, L.A., 2003, Evaporite karst and regional ground-water circulation in the lower Pecos valley of southeastern New Mexico, in Johnson, K.S., and Neal, J.T., eds., Evaporite Karst and Engineering/Environmental Problems in the United States: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 109, p. 227-232.
29. Lang, W.B., 1939, Salado Formation of the Permian Basin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 23, p. 1569-1572.
30. Lang, W.B., 1942, Basal beds of the Salado Formation in Fletcher potash core test, near Carlsbad, New Mexico: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 26, no. 1, p. 63-79.
31. Lee, W.T., 1925, Erosion by solution and fill, in Contributions to the Geology of the United States, 1923-1924: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 760-C, p. 107-121.
32. Lowenstein, T.K., 1988, Origin of depositional cycles in a Permian "saline giant": The Salado (McNutt zone) evaporites of New Mexico and Texas: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 100, p. 592-608.
33. Lowenstein, T.K., and Hardie, L.A., 1985, Criteria for the recognition of salt-pan evaporites: Sedimentology, v. 32, p. 627-644, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.1985.tb00478.x.
34. Maley, V.C., and Huffington, R.M., 1953, Cenozoic fill and evaporate (sic) solution in the Delaware Basin, Texas and New Mexico: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 64, p. 539-545, doi: 10.1130/0016-7606 (1953)64[539:CFAESI]2.0.CO;2.
35. Mercer, J.W., 1987, Compilation of hydrologic data from drilling the Salado and Castile Formations near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in southeastern New Mexico: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories SAND-86-0954.
36. Mercer, J.W., Cole, D.L., and Holt, R.M., 1998, Basic data report for drillholes on the H-19 hydropad (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant [WIPP]): Albuquerque, New Mexico, SAND-98-0071, Sandia National Laboratories.
37. Nicholson, A., Jr., and Clebsch, A., Jr., 1961, Geology and ground-water conditions in southern Lea County, New Mexico: Socorro, New Mexico, State Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Ground-Water Report 6, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
38. Powers, D.W., 1996, Tracing early breccia pipe studies, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, southeastern New Mexico: A study of the documentation available and decision-making during the early years of WIPP: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories SAND-94-0991.
39. Powers, D.W., 2003, Jal sinkhole in southeastern New Mexico: Evaporite dissolution, drill holes, and the potential for sinkhole development, in Johnson, K.S., and Neal, J.T., eds., Evaporite Karst and Engineering/Environmental Problems in the United States: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 109, p. 219-226.
40. Powers, D.W., and Holt, R.M., 1990, Sedimentology of the Rustler Formation near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site, in Powers, D.W., Holt, R.M., Beauheim, R.L., and Rempe, N., eds., Geological and Hydrological Studies of Evaporites in the Northern Delaware Basin for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP): Geological Society of America Guidebook 14, p. 79-106.
41. Powers, D.W., and Holt, R.M., 1993, The upper Cenozoic Gatuña Formation of southeastern New Mexico, in Love, D.W., et al., eds., Carlsbad Region, New Mexico and West Texas: New Mexico Geological Society Forty-fourth Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 271-282.
42. Powers, D.W., and Holt, R.M., 1999, The Los Medaños Member of the Permian Rustler Formation: New Mexico Geology, v. 21, no. 4, p. 97-103.
43. Powers, D.W., and Holt, R.M., 2000, The salt that wasn't there: Mudflat facies equivalents to halite of the Permian Rustler Formation, southeastern New Mexico: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 70, no. 1, p. 29-36, doi: 10.1306/2DC408FB-0E47-11D7-8643000102C1865D.
44. Powers, D.W., and Owsley, D., 2003, A field survey of evaporite karst along NM 128 realignment routes, in Johnson, K.S., and Neal, J.T., eds., Evaporite Karst and Engineering/Environmental Problems in the United States: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 109, p. 233-240.
45. Powers, D.W., Beauheim, R.L., Holt, R.M., and Hughes, D.L., 2006a, Evaporite karst features and processes at Nash Draw, Eddy County, New Mexico, in Land, L., et al., eds., Caves and Karst of Southeastern New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Fifty-seventh Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 253-266.
46. Powers, D.W., Holt, R.M., Beauheim, R.L., and Richardson, R.G., 2006b, Advances in depositional models of the Permian Rustler Formation, southeastern New Mexico, in Land, L., et al., eds., Caves and Karst of Southeastern New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Fifty-Seventh Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 267-276.
47. Roberts, R.M., Beauheim, R.L., and Domski, P.S., 1999, Hydraulic testing of Salado Formation evaporites at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site: Final report: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories SAND-98-2537.
48. Robinson, T.W., and Lang, W.B., 1938, Geology and ground-water conditions of the Pecos River valley in the vicinity of Laguna Grande de la Sal, New Mexico: New Mexico State Engineer, 12th and 13th Biennial Reports, p. 79-100.
49. Snyder, R.P., and Gard, L.M., Jr., 1982, Evaluation of breccia pipes in southeastern New Mexico and their relation to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site, with section on drill-stem tests: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-968, 90 p.
50. Swenson, F.A., 1973, Dissolved salts in surface water, in Bachman, G.O., and Johnson, R.B., eds., Stability of Salt in the Permian Salt Basin of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 4339-4, p. 46-53.
51. Texas Water Development Board, 1972, A survey of the subsurface saline water of Texas: Texas Water Development Board Report 157 (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/GroundWaterReports/GWReports/Individual%20Report%20htm%20files/Report157V2.htm).
52. Vine, J.D., 1963, Surface geology of the Nash Draw Quadrangle, Eddy County, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 214, 82 p.
53. Waste Control Specialists, 2007, Application for license to authorize near-surface land disposal of low-level radioactive waste: application to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, http://1069712.sites.myregisteredsite.com/wcs/.
54. Weart, W.D., Rempe, N.T., and Powers, D.W., 1998, The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: Geotimes, v. 43, no. 10, p. 14-19.
55. Wood, B.J., Snow, R.E., Cosler, D.J., and Haji-Djafari, S., 1982, Delaware Mountain Group (DMG) hydrology-Salt removal potential, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project, southeastern New Mexico: Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy TME-3166.